DUDLEY, Mass. – Backed by a three-hit shutout thrown by sophomore Lindsay Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) in the nightcap, the Nichols College softball team earned a split with visiting Wentworth Institute of Technology in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Hassett struck out eight in the complete-game win to help the Bison improve to 13-19 overall and 11-9 in TCCC games. The Leopards dip to 9-18 overall and 7-12 in conference action.

First-year player Emily Pollock (Durham, Maine) led the Bison at the plate, finishing the day 4-for-5 with three RBI, two doubles and a stolen base. Lauren Lombardo (Wolcott, Conn.) went 4-for-6 with four RBI, a three-run home run and a pair of runs scored.

Kim Cabral paced the Leopards, going 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and a run scored.

In game one, both teams got one run in the first and two in the fourth before the Leopards scored the winning run in to top of the fifth.

Senior Krista Kelley put Wentworth on the board after reaching on a leadoff single, advancing on a sac bunt and another single from Lizz Harvey. A Bridget Souza groundout pushed Kelley across before a flyout ended the inning.

Ashley Robidoux (Milford, Mass.) led off the Nichols side reaching on an error and advanced on a sacrifice and a groundout before crossing the plate on a passed ball to knot the score.

A two-run home run from Cabral in the top of the fourth gave the Leopards a 3-1 lead, but a bases-loaded single from Pollock in the bottom of the inning plated two for the Bison to tie it up again.

Wentworth's Cherie Dunn walked to lead off the Leopard's fifth and scored the winning run on a sac fly from Harvey.

Nichols got runners on second in the fifth and sixth, including on Pollock's second double of the game in the sixth. The Bison held Wentworth to one hit over the final two innings, as pitcher Ashley Wyland (Schenectady, N.Y.) fanned the final two in the sixth.

Wyland scattered seven hits and allowed four runs in the complete-game effort. Caylee Johanson took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out two in the complete game.

In game two, the game remained scoreless until Nichols put up five runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth. Hassett had a one-hitter into the fifth inning, striking out the side in the fourth.

With one out in the third, Lauren Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) reached on an error before advancing to second on a Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) single to right. Lombardo hit her fifth home run of the year to give the Bison a 3-0 lead.

The hits kept coming as Hassett doubled to the fence and advanced to third on a Robidoux groundout. Valeri Calcagni (Rocky Hill, Conn.) pushed Hassett across with a double, and Pollock came through with a single to plate Calcagni before a flyout ended the inning with the home team up, 5-0.

Savannah Thibault (Marlboro, Mass.) led off the fourth with a single, and after an error and a walk, the bases were loaded for Lombardo, who drove in one with a single to left center. Two more came across as Hassett hit a sac fly to right, giving Nichols an 8-0 advantage.

Johansen allowed eight runs (three earned) in the complete-game loss, allowing nine hits, six of which came in the third inning.

Nichols travels to Roger Williams for a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, while Wentworth hosts Endicott Sunday at 1 p.m.

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score